Morris tribune., 1887-02-09

terms, or Sketchlng nlll-tops; nalI 30
much, even on the banks of the old Sus-
uuehana-my benson on her broad bos-
ON!
I'm sure there must be something
about these Highland braes that nourish-
es rhyme, Romance and all that sort Of
thing, for fellow seems to drop into
poetry as naturally as Mr.. Silas Wegg.
LAUREL beg pardon, Miss Laurel
my study in Gray-says she knows l am
of poetic temperament, and am SO
foolish as to go hammering up verses to
prove it! All, we'll! When it is happi-
ness to be foolish, It's foolishness not to
be happy!
Seems to me I've heard some quota
ton like that, emily briefer Heigho!
Yesterday was red-letter day in my
existence To be sole guide, assistance,
counselor and protector of the dearest
girl in the world for O whole day OF
rambling through forest and glen, is
what [ call blessed privilege! We
explored Ben Voirlich--all the noun
tains in this country seem to be af
ficted with Christian name of Benia-
min-spoke our little piece over Mo-
mans Rill, and ate our luncheon i'll
Lone Glenarty's hazel shade" /
think 1 must have spouted whole
canto of "The Lady OF the Lake" at
different times, and how spirited she
was over the defiant stag-how her
beautiful eyes fill up at the death of "my
gallant gray"
Well, it's blessing I know Scott by
heart It is precious little else | know
besides poetry and novels, but she de-
fers to me as if / were an emporium of
information. Said she:
"Mr. Olden, you seem to feel poetry,
while other people, just say it. You
fecting than finished defamation"
Tt must be because you are my
auditor then. Generally regard poet.
~ as combination of Enthusiastically ele-
waited words and ideas--a hyperbolical
expression of tra-human sentiments in
ultra human language. With you for
a listener, it seems almost appropriate,
so high rank do give you"
She (archly)-"I wonder if l have
anything to do with the feelings which
prompt YOU to wind up an impassioned
poem with some absurd parody or bur-
lesque."
Lob, that is done for the purpose
of taking the edge off what you might
otherwise consider sentimentality-and
partly to convince myself that am not
growing sentimental in reality"
Shells sentiment such a crime in
your eyes?"
Mot a crime, but source for ridi-
Guile. Promise me not to laugh-not to
think me absUrd-and I'll play at ro-
nance like the veriest lover of them all.
I have mighty leaning toitp"
She-"Some day you'll play at it in
earnest, and be the 'ver1est lover of
them all. or am no phrophetess.
I-"Methinks the day has come-the
hour and the woman! Can you not see
that since 7 have known you-since
that happy day in Venice"
She (naively)-"When you returned
my book?"
I"Ah! You did get the book?
Then it has told you that from the first
l have set up your picture in my heart,
and fallen down before it"
She" All on Summers day.
Are you not getting dangerously near
the brink, Mr.. Olden-of the lake, I
mean? You might wet your feet"
I--"Do you think [ say this Ill a vein
which justifes fippant Interruptions,
Miss Gray?"
She-"Do YOU think l treat you in
way which iustifes fippant gallantry,
Mr. Olden?"
You wrong me when you treat as
gallantry the homage of man"
Shells quite as serious as he usu-
ally permits himself to be, or as he has
been during any summer vacation for
the past lalf dozen years. Who
parodies Rosalind and says, Come, I'll
woe thee, for I'm in holiday humor,
and like enough to be ensnared'?"
I-"You regard me as triher, I see."
She (regretfully)-"And only think
what you might have been! Let us go
home"
Now, what does all this mean?
Am I IN love? And is there
chance for me? AS to the first, yes;
and the second--Well, she scorned
the manner and not the matter of my
wooing. There's some comfort In that,
If you can convince a woman that you
were trifer until you succumbed to
her, she is prepared to forgive the
first, and to regard the last as very
natural.
"Only to think what you might have
BEEN" She said it almost mournful-
ly. Now, I don't think might have
been anything in particular; but shall
try to be it from this time forth, and
she shall be the Judge. How beautiful
she Isl I'd give kings ransom to
hear her say
There's the breakfast bell! ,.,.